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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · saw · pitch · hide · spring · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. tube — the underground
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — of water
  9. firm — a company
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — completely
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. spring — the season
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com